A LOST parrot which escaped into Portland’s Verne Prison has been reunited with its family.

The relieved Clarke family, of Grangecroft Road, Portland, has welcomed the Patagonian Conure back home after seeing their pet featured in the Echo.

The jailbird was taken into the RSPCA’s Taylor’s Rehoming Centre in Dorchester after flying into the prison, and still unclaimed after seven days, was eventually rehomed and named Storm by centre volunteer Fran Ponting, of Devon Road, Weymouth.

The true owner, Mary Clarke, 53, said she missed the story because she was away in Cornwall and has now reclaimed the parrot.

She said: “The seven days I had to claim him lapsed while I was away but I was really lucky they rehomed him with a volunteer.

“I saw his picture in the paper and was just so pleased to see he was well.”

Mrs Clarke said the parrot – real name Joey – escaped after getting caught up with seagulls.

“He free flies around the garden all the time,” she said. “He went up into their air space, which he doesn’t normally, and this is the wrong time of year because they’re nesting.

“He couldn’t see me so he went up in the air to look for me and went too high, and they chased him off.

“My daughter-in-law saw him coming down and thought the seagulls took him down but he had obviously dodged them instead.”

Mrs Clarke, husband Michael, son Darrell, daughter-in-law Dannie, and grandsons Declan, four, and Cameron, two, have had the four-year-old bird for three years and were all pleased to be reunited with him.

Mrs Clarke said: “Declan was crying and walking around looking for him and Cameron was talking to an empty cage sometimes.”

Now back home, Mrs Clarke said it is like he has never been away – he is as noisy as ever, tormenting the five cats and dog Taisha, and generally causing havoc.

But this is just the latest of Joey’s escapades – he fled to Blacknor Fort two years ago and to a garden in Easton last year.

“I dread to think where he will go next year,” said Mrs Clarke. “In fact, we’re getting him microchipped.”

She added: “I am so grateful to the RSPCA and I wouldn’t have known if the Echo hadn’t run the story, so thank you.”